Chair arms



March 31, 1959 H. J. MILLER Q 2,879,835

CHAIR ARMS Filed March 11, 1957 v BY Fig 5 Aily 1 Harold J. Miller, San Francisco, I Application March 11, 1957, Serial No. 645,217 lClaim. (Cl. 155-188) The present invention relates to improvements in chair arms, and the principal feature of the invention is the incorporation into a chair arm of a radio set arranged for easy manipulation and control by a person seated in the chair.

It is intended to use for this purpose a small radio set of the transistor type, which is tubeless and runs on a battery and which is sufficiently small to completely disappear in the arm frame.

My invention was particularly developed for use in connection with a heavy, upholstered chair, the arms of which are made of wooden frames covered by upholstery in which the frame is approximately twice as wide, from the inside to the outside, as the radio set, from front to rear, and in which the radio set may be readily accommodatel in a pocket specially provided for such purpose.

It is further proposed to arrange the radio set in the chair arm in such a manner that it is mounted above the seat, substantially midway the length of the arm, with its front face and control elements exposed for convenient access, the left arm being preferred so that a seat occupant may operate the control elements with his right hand lifted across his body.

It is additionally proposed to mount the radio set with freedom of reversing movement, so that the back of the set is swung into the inside plane of the chair, while the front of the set is hidden within the frame, the back of the radio set being upholstered to line up with the upholstery on the inside of the arm of the chair when the radio set is in inactive position.

It is still further contemplated to mount the radio set in the frame of the chair arm in such a manner that the reversing movement between active and inactive positions does not in any way damage the frame structure or the upholstery, that the radio is conveniently exposed for operation of the control elements through an opening in the inside upholstery while the radio set is in use, and that the opening is completely closed by the upholstery on the back side of the radio set, when the latter is in inactive position.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear as the specification proceeds, and the new and novel features of my arm chair radio will be fully defined in the claim attached hereto.

The preferred form of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming part of this application, in which:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an upholstered chair equipped with the radio set;

Figure 2, an inside view of a chair arm frame having the radio set mounted therein;

Figure 3, an enlarged detail view of portion of the frame holding the radio set;

Figure 4, a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Figure 3, with the radio set in exposed position; and

Figure 5, a similar view showing the radio in inactive position.

2,879,835 Patented Mar. 31, 1959 v of the invention.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the upholstered chair 1 may be of conventional construction, comprising a pair of side arms 2, a seat 3, covered by a cushion 4, and a back 5. The radio set 6 is preferably mounted in the left chair arm, above the cushion 4 and substantially midway of the length of the arm, as shown in Figure l.

The arm structure comprises a substantially rectangular frame 7, shown in detail in Figure 2, and a heavy layer of upholstery surrounding the frame.

The frame consists of a series of uprights 9, a pair of side boards 10 joining the lower ends thereof, a top board 11, a front corner piece 12, which may be curved, as at 13, and a pair of parallel braces 14 inside of the frame structure. The top board 11 may be slightly inclined, as in Figure 2.

The two braces 14 are connected, intermediate their height, by a cross-piece 15 which latter cooperates with the braces and the top board 11 in forming a pocket 16 in which the radio set 6 is accommodated.

The radio set may be of any suitable construction, but should be of a length to have an easy revolving fit between the braces 14 and of a height to revolve between the cross-members 11 and 15 with a certain amount of friction.

The depth of the radio set, from front to rear, should be only about one-half the thickness of the frame, as clearly shown in Figures 4 and 5.

The radio set is supported in the pocket by means of a pair of pivots 17 which project from the ends of the set centrally and in alined relation, the pivots being offset with respect to the Width of the frame to cause the set, when in upright position, to be accommodated in the inner half of the frame.

The radio set is made in the conventional manner to present a front wall 18 from which the control elements 19 project and with a rear wall 20.

When the radio set is set in the position shown in Figure 4, the front wall is in line with the left face of the frame, and when it is in the position shown in Figure 5, the rear wall lines up with the said left face, as viewed from in front of the chair.

The radio set is yieldingly held in either position by means of a pair of spring-pressed buttons 21 engaging in dented plates 22 secured upon the sides of the set.

To allow of access to the radio controls, the upholstery on the inside of the chair arm is formed with a rectangular hole 23 registering with the pocket 16, but the rear end of the radio set is covered with a layer of upholstery 24, which, in the position of Figure 5, enters the opening so as to completely cover the opening and to conceal the radio.

In operation:

Assuming the radio set to be in the position of Figure 5, a seat occupant reaching over with his right hand, presses on the upper portion of the upholstery 24, thereby turning the radio set on its pivots 17, and continues the turning movement, by suitable manipulation until the radio reaches the upright position of Figure 4, at which time the buttons 21 snap into place and lock the radio set in the position shown in Figure 4.

The operator may now turn the control elements to start the radio and to select any desired station.

When the operator desires to turn the radio set into inactive position, he continues to turn the set through an angle of degrees, which reverses the radio set and brings the upholstery 24 into the opening 23, thereby 3 q concealing the radio and making the upholstery on the inside of the arm substantially continuous.

It should be noted that the clearance between the radio set and the frame members should be just sufficient to allow of the turning movement of the radio set, preferably with a slight amount of friction.

The clearances are indicated in the drawing, at 25.

I claim:

In a chair arm, a frame having a rectangular pocket extending therethrough, upholstery covering the frame on opposite sides thereof and cut away to provide an opening opposite the pocket on the inside of the chair arm, a radio set having a front face with a control element thereon and having a rear face, means for revolvably and revertibly mounting the radio set within the pocket, with the front face exposed through the opening in, one position and the rear face arranged opposite the opening in the opposite position, the control element being accessible for operation through the opening in the first position, and the back of the radio set being upholstered to come flush with the chair arm upholstery in the opposite position, so as to completely conceal the radio set.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,595,263 Thornberry Aug. 10, 1926 1,902,730 Shaw Mar. 21, 1933 2,088,709 Lejuste Aug. 3, 1937 2,155,967 Carroll Apr. 25, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS 787,045 France June 24, 1935 510,968 Great Britain Aug. 11, 1939 945,354 France Nov. 29, 1948 452,192 Italy Oct. 10, 1949 

